I Know
by WhiteWinterDragon
Summary: In the remnants of a gruelling battle, Katarina and Garen share a tender moment, before they are inevitably ripped apart.


AN: So… here's a little short I needed to get out of my system before I take on the challenge of writing an epic again. I have been wanting to try on this genre for a while, but I never got around to it. I'll give fair warning. This short is rated M because it contains explicit and graphic descriptions of injury and death, if you do not have the stomach for that or you expect a fluff piece, then this fic is probably not for you. Feel free to let me know what you all think!

~WhiteWinterDragon

I Know

oOo

Sound returned first. The sound of clashing metal, heavy footfalls in the mud and the gut wrenching cries of the dying. Second to return was smell. The thick, permeating stench of blood, sweat, steel and smoke hung in the air like fog. Finally sight returned, flashes of white and dark silhouettes morphed into people darting around, illuminated by the moon and the flames strewn around the battlefield.

Katarina blinked, took a long, shaky breath and then blinked again. She was on her back. She could feel the cold of the mud beneath her and something heavy and warm pinning her to the ground. Involuntarily she let out a half strangled cry, as feeling returned with a vengeance. The weight on top of her shifted slightly and she found herself face to face with a certain Demacian.

A blinding flash of light, a sound like roaring thunder and Garen slamming into her so hard, she had been sent flying, that was the last thing she remembered. Katarina looked at him with a mortified realization. "Why?" Her voice was hoarse and barely more than a whisper, but he heard her nonetheless.

"Don't know, wasn't thinking." His voice was strained, she could hear him heaving for each breath as he spoke. Katarina tested her arms, straining to push the big man off of her. Garen tried to help, propping himself up on one arm, before rolling off onto his back, a fit of coughing wracked his entire frame and was followed by a muffled whimper. Katarina had never heard him make such a sound before. It unnerved her.

She sat up slowly, not without difficulty. Hot white pain shooting up from her right leg let her know it was broken, She ignored it, inching closer to the Demacian. The surrounding fires and the moon helped her see him clearly. Katarina put her hand to her mouth and bit down hard, forcing herself to look at him. His eyes were clenched shot, his teeth gritted in a grimace that spoke of pure agony. Blood was running from his nose and his mouth and that was the least of it. The blue cloth he wore under his breastplate had gone several shades darker, soaked through with blood. His petricite armor, normally silvery and metallic had turned black and crumbled like shattered stone and his left arm was just gone. She gave the blackened armor a rueful look. The stray spell would have killed her instantly, if he had not intervened.

Another coughing fit had the Demacian spitting blood again. Without thinking, Katarina reached over and carefully propped him up against herself. It was no easy task, for Garen was not able to assist much and he was not exactly light. Katarina's fractured leg protested under the man's bulk, but she pushed the pain to the back of her mind and held on to him, allowing him to rest his head against her shoulder. "Why did you do it?" She asked again softly.

Garen looked at her for a moment, as if contemplating his answer. "I…" he began hesitantly. "Because I…" he was interrupted by another fit, Katarina had to tighten her grip on him, as his whole body shook with the exertion. It lasted almost a minute. He looked at her apologetically, his breathing ragged and shallow. She could see his lips move, but his voice was barely a whisper in between gasps for air and even though she put her ear next to his mouth, she could not make out what he was trying to say.

Over the years, Katarina had seen countless people die, as an assassin she had had plenty of opportunities to be up close and personal when her victims drew their final breath. It had never fazed her. Watching her old rival struggle with every gulp of air was different somehow. She felt sick and powerless and… She wasn't sure what she felt.

Garen had quieted down a bit, he looked up at her, clearly exhausted from fighting the inevitable. It wouldn't be long now, Katarina mused solemnly, there was nothing she could do for him, except perhaps one thing.

Slowly she leaned down, planting a gentle kiss on his mouth. He tasted like iron, his lips slightly chapped, but full and warm nonetheless. Closing her eyes, she reached for one of her daggers, careful not to let him notice. She hesitated only briefly to memorize this, their last forbidden moment together, before she thrust the blade upwards with swift and deadly precision.

The Demacian tensed up, sucking in a sharp breath, as she let the cold steel do its work. She felt him shudder briefly before he went limp in her arms, his head lolling to the side. Katarina kept her eyes closed and did not dare to move. She had no idea how long they stayed like that. The pain from her leg was all but forgotten, and the sounds of the surrounding battle barely registered in her mind, as she sat there clutching his body in a haze. She felt numb and cold and it was not until her arms started burning with the strain of clinging to him that she opened her eyes and finally dared to look. He had his eyes closed, for that she was grateful, and his expression was free from worry or pain. If he hadn't been so pale, she could have thought him just asleep. The faintest ghost of a smile graced his lips.

Katarina shook her head, letting out a bitter chuckle that quickly turned into a bitter sob. It was not until a tear landed on his cheek that she realized she was crying. Why was she crying? Why was he smiling? Katarina sighed, she knew why. She knew why he had pushed out of the way at his own expense. She knew why she had decided to spare him from further pain. She knew why he was smiling and she knew why she was crying. Hugging his still form closer, she bent down slightly and whispered: "I know, I love you too."

oOo

AN: And that's it for this one. Short, I know... but sometimes I like the change of pace that comes with oneshots. Being able to drop in medias res and not needing to plan several chapters ahead all the time allows for some in depth exploration of scenes that wouldn't necessarily get the same amount of attention and room in an epic. In any case, I'm not used to writing tragedy, much less major character death, so I hope I managed to poke some feels. If you liked my writing in this and need some KatxGaren goodness to make up for the sad stuff I just pulled, rest easy knowing that I am currently working on a lemon, another first for me, which will hopefully be released soon. Feel free to leave a review, until next time.

~WhiteWinterDragon.


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